Arabic version: متطوعو السكك الحديدية يخشون فقدان مقر كارولا

According to ABC News, the Launceston and North East Railway group and its associated Men’s Shed say their future is uncertain after the State Fire Commission approved a public sale of the former Karoola fire station near Launceston. The volunteers have used the decommissioned station as their headquarters since becoming its primary caretakers in 2022.

The group has restored and maintained the station for four years, using its facilities to support work on a disused section of railway in northern Tasmania. Chair Elizabeth Cute said the site had been crucial to the organisation’s activities, allowing volunteers to make projects that were not previously possible.

In a July 7 letter to Ms Cute, Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Jeremy Smith said the State Fire Commission had determined the property was surplus to operational requirements. He said the public sale process would be transparent and equitable and would achieve an appropriate market return. The group can continue operating from the site until it is sold.

Ms Cute said members were devastated and distressed, and that the decision differed from what she described as a verbal understanding that the station could eventually be given to the group. A Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management spokesperson said L&NER and the Men’s Shed had used the site informally and at no cost since 2022, and that no formal agreement had been established. The group has been encouraged to participate in the sale process, but Ms Cute said it was not in a financial position to buy the property.

Vice-chair Greg Stewart said the station had been built into the group’s plans as a permanent hub. He helped establish a pedal-powered rail bug venture that has operated since May this year, and fears it could cease if the group loses the site. Ms Cute said morale was low, but members would continue their efforts to retain a base for their railway and community activities.